Ask a Scientist by Robert Winston

Ask a Scientist by Robert Winston - 128 pages

This book poses 100 science questions and then answers them for kids.  I read it in preparation for a homeschool class.  It was a fascinating book.  While some of the questions and answers were pretty common knowledge, it also had some questions of rarer knowledge.  I would recommend this to science oriented kids.
 

 

A Hat for Minerva Louise, Janet Morgan Stoeke | 24 pages

When a barnyard chicken wants to go explore in the snow, she has to search for a just-right hat to keep her warm. Silly mistakes lead her to exactly what she needs.

My kids can't get enough of Minerva Louise, even though they are big now. The other day when it was 100* we got out all our "cold" books to feel better. Minerva Louise was top of the stack!

 Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Chris Grabenstein | 304 pages

Twelve years ago, the town library in Alexandriaville was destroyed. Now, famed game designer Luigi Lemoncello is building a fabulous new one and inviting twelve twelve year olds to be part of the grand opening - a lock in sleepover and an escape room.

Book references abound in this romp through a high-tech modern library that features 3D theaters, fully equipped video game rooms, a cafe, book finding robots, holographic statues, and of course, books. I wish there had been a little less tech and reference to adult books (what 12yo has read an obscure Orwell or Crime and Punishment?!), but overall, it was good fun. 

Odder, Katherine Applegate

Odder, Katherine Applegate | 288 pages

An adorable story in verse about an adorable, spunky otter named Odder. When she was a baby, a storm separated her from her mother. After washing up on shore, she was rehabbed by humans who taught her how to be an otter. Three years later, Odder and her friend Kairi are attacked by a shark and find themselves again in the aquarium, this time un-releasable. The humans give each otter a pup and they find their new place as foster moms.

Based on a combination of true stories from the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the edge of Elkhorn Slough and their sea otter rehabilitation program. Applegate tells the story in free verse, which is just a delightful approach. Verse captures the emotion and movement of otters in a way that prose can't.

The Ogress and the Orphans, Kelly Barnhill

The Ogress and the Orphans, Kelly Barnhill | 392 pages

"All roads in town then led to the Library, which had wide windows, tall shelves, and deep cushions on the sofas, and which welcomed everyone... Even the shushes were lovely."

The once-lovely town of Stone-in-the-Glen has fallen on hard times. After relentless fires, floods, and other calamities, they've lost their library, their school, their park, their prosperity. Even their neighborliness is lost. Only the wise and clever children of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress who lives quietly at the edge of town see clearly how dire things are.

This book is so full of sorrow and hope, greed and generosity... it's so REAL. I so very much enjoyed this read that I'm planning to read it aloud to my kids.

Sees Behind Trees, Michael Dorris

Sees Behind Trees, Michael Dorris | 104 pages

Visually impaired Walnut cannot earn his adult name the same way other boys do, by hitting a target with a bow and arrow. With his highly developed other senses, however, he earns a new name: Sees Behind Trees. When Grey Fire invites him on a trip to find the Place of Waters with his skills, he is excited and nervous to find his place in the community as a man. 

This is a sweet coming of age story that introduces some big concepts: disability, coming of age, sibling relationships, outsiders, desires, and more.

Good Job, George

 

Good Job, George by Jane O'Connor   31 pages

George is a bog boy who likes to be helpful. Everyone says Good Job, George. But sometimes, he makes mistakes when he does not listen. 

The Monster Mac and Cheese Party by Todd Parr

 

The Monster Mac and Cheese Party 29 pages

Monsters bring their favorite mac and cheese to a party. The lesson is to try new things. Cute!

The Bad Beginning, Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning, Lemony Snicket | 176 pages

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune...

Lemony Snicket aka Daniel Handler has such a specific voice as an author. This book is a lot of fun. I love the vocabulary lessons mixed throughout. I do feel like the style would get grating were I to read the entire 13 book series.

Around the World in 80 Festivals by Nancy Dickmann

Around the World in 80 Festivals by Nancy Dickmann -- 72 pages

I read this book in preparation for one of my homeschool classes.  It was interesting to read about various festivals around the world.  Several are very similar in the reasoning for the celebrations yet have vastly different traditions, foods, and actions.  I would definitely recommend this book for kids.
 

100 Disasters That Shaped by World by Joanne Mattern

100 Disasters That Shaped World History by Joanne Mattern -- 128 pages

I read this book in preparation for a homeschool class.  It was very interesting.  It gave a one-page summary of 100 different disasters and their impact on the world.  I was probably aware of about 60% of the disasters it discussed.  It was a very informative book and I think children would enjoy reading it.
 

The Magnificent Book of Creatures of the Abyss by Bethanie Hestermann

The Magnificent Book of Creatures of the Abyss by Bethanie Hestermann -- 80 pages

I read this book in preparation for a homeschool class on ocean creatures.  I found it to be completely fascinating.  Some of my favorite deep sea animals are the Zombie Worm, Piglet Squid, and Bloody Belly Comb Jelly.  I would highly recommend this informational book to everyone.
 

Totally Random Questions, vol 1 by Melina Gerosa Bellows

Totally Random Information, vol 1 by Melina Gerosa Bellows - 215 pages

I read this book in preparation for my February Kids Learn class for homeschoolers.  It is completely random questions and their answers.  Some of the questions are obvious (Did Amelia Earhart disappear while flying?).  Some are interesting (What do Humans and Zebras have in common?).  Some are laugh out loud funny (Why do MLB umpires wear black underwear?).  I really enjoyed this book and the program I did on it.  I would definitely recommend it to kids.
 

Axolotls: Day to ZZZ ZZ ZZ by Stephanie Campisi

Axolotls: Day to Zzz zz zz by Stephanie Campisi -- 24 pages

A cute board books about axolotls from waking up to going to sleep.  It's filled with a lot of axolotl puns including Taxilotl, T-rexolotl, and Roxolotl.  

There should be more stories about axolotls!

 

Around the World in 80 Musical Instruments by Nancy Dickmann

Around the World in 80 Musical Instruments by Nancy Dickmann - 64 pages

I read this book in preparation for a homeschool class I taught on music instruments.  It was really fascinating to learn about the different types of instruments and how they are similar and different from the common instruments we know.  I would definitely recommend this book to kids.

Would You Rather . . . Travel to Treasure Island or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? by Lauren Kelliher

 

Would You Rather . . . Travel to Treasure Island or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? . . . and Other Page-Turning Questions About Children's Stories by Lauren Kelliher -- 95 pages

I read this book in preparation for a Kids Learn homeschool class I was teaching.  While I love the idea of the book, I'm not sure I love the execution.  The questions were a mix of good and unusual.  Some of them were a stretch.  They also gave very little information for the various sides of the questions and the arguments for their answers was sketchy for some of the questions.  Still, it got me thinking so it accomplished its goal.

Hidden in History series

Women Warriors by Sarah Eason - 48 pages
Women Scientists by Cynthia O'Brien - 48 pages
Women Inventors by Petrice Custance - 48 pages
Women Rulers by Sarah Eason - 48 pages

Hidden in History series

I had read one of the books in this series (Women Writers) previously and thought it was interesting enough to put the rest of the series on hold to read.  This is a great series for those looking for women who made their mark on history only to be forgotten afterwards.  I would strongly recommend this series for kids and it would be a great resource for Women's History Month.

 

Belly of the Beast by Jonathan Auxier

Belly of the Beast by Jonathan Auxier -- 96 pages
The Fabled Stables #3

Auggie loves his job as caretaker for the Fabled Stables.  But now he's worried that his time is coming to an end.  However, he can't focus on that as a new creature needs to be found.

This is the third and final book in The Fabled Stables series.  This was a great easy chapter book series for fantasy fans. I would highly recommend it.  I listened to it on audio and it was very well done.

The Trouble with Tattle-Tails by Jonathan Auxier

The Trouble with Tattle-Tails by Jonathan Auxier -- 87 pages
The Fabled Stables #2

The Fabled Stables have a new creature coming and Auggie is off to find it.  What he finds is a town infested with Tattle-Tails.  Creatures that attach themselves to people and start telling all their secrets and wrong-doings.  Can Auggie rescue the town and safely get the Tattle-Tail back to the Stables?

This is the second book in The Fabled Stables series for children. I listened to it on audio.  It was a fun book with great narration.  I would definitely recommend the series.

 

Becoming Vanessa by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Becoming Vanessa by Vanessa Brantley-Newton 29 pages On Vanessa's first day of school, her parents tell her it will be easy to make friends. Vanessa isn't so sure. She wears her fanciest outfit so her new classmates will notice her right away. They notice, but the attention isn't what she'd hoped for. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. Her clothes are too bright, her feather boa has way too many feathers, and even her name is too hard to write. The next day, she picks out a plain outfit, and tells her mom that her name is too long. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls--why couldn't her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa. Perfect for readers of Alma and How She Got Her Name and The King of Kindergarten Vanessa needs to realize that she is accepted for who she is and she is a very important person.